


if I lay here would you lie with me and just forget the world

by joestars



Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Declarations Of Love, M/M, cars are involved, they are litcherally in love....
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-07
Updated: 2019-09-07
Packaged: 2020-10-11 16:40:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20549351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/joestars/pseuds/joestars
Summary: It was an impromptu drive, one born out of boredom and the promise of mild weather. They’d been lounging on the couch when a strong breeze had picked up outside, causing the various trees surrounding the Barns to scrape against the windows. There was an itch under his skin as he heard the way leaves and stray pebbles hit against the door; a calling when he saw the way Adam’s eyes lit up at the storm outside. So, they drove. Or Ronan drove, technically, but they were there together, the stereo silent and the world crying. The rain had only just started to pick up, blurring the headlights in front of them and the departing Henrietta villas. It was almost romantic.





	if I lay here would you lie with me and just forget the world

Night had just descended and the streetlights lit up one by one, highlighting their way down the highway. The end of summer was hanging over their heads heavily; Adam was going to leave soon and Ronan would be on his own again. It wasn’t a nice realisation and it left a bitter taste in his mouth whenever he thought too long about it. Sometimes he’d wake up before Adam did and try his hardest to etch the way his hair fell on the pillow, or how his forehead finally relaxed, leaving the memories of worries in the dust, or even the way he’d snore or how he drooled, into his mind. Ronan spent so much of his time with Adam trying to remember him; constantly preparing for their inevitable departure.

Tonight wasn’t like that, though. It was an impromptu drive, one born out of boredom and the promise of mild weather. They’d been lounging on the couch when a strong breeze had picked up outside, causing the various trees surrounding the Barns to scrape against the windows. There was an itch under his skin as he heard the way leaves and stray pebbles hit against the door; a calling when he saw the way Adam’s eyes lit up at the storm outside. So, they drove. Or Ronan drove, technically, but they were there together, the stereo silent and the world crying. The rain had only just started to pick up, blurring the headlights in front of them and the departing Henrietta villas. It was almost romantic.

Adam rolled down the window and stuck his head out, letting the droplets plaster his hair to his forehead. The wind was howling now as Ronan sped up to overtake the car in front of them, and again, and again, and again for all the others dotting the highway. It was reckless, sure, to speed when the water had just begun to coat the road but it was a type of reckless he lived on. He was pretty sure Adam lived on it, too. Things hadn’t been exactly the same since Cabeswater disappeared but these days, it felt that Adam was the last living reminder of it. He could breathe life into almost anything. Make the most boring as batshit formulas and textbooks sound like gospel. Make the stars sound poetic and his thrumming heart like a novel. Adam was special, to say the least.

When Ronan had started this trip, he hadn’t known where they were going. There was no destination in mind. Now, however, there was a pull to one of the many empty fields that lived in obscurity. In the boot of the car there was a forgotten pillow and an old blanket, leftovers from the many times Ronan couldn’t trust himself around others. They could camp back there for tonight, if Adam wanted to. They could stay there for the rest of their lives, if Adam wanted to.

The interior of the car was thoroughly soaked when he finally rolled up the window; “Do you think there’ll be lightning?”

Ronan shrugged, “Maybe if you’re lucky.”

Only a few more kilometres before the exit. The moon was hidden amongst the dark clouds, now.

There was a look in Adam’s eye that promised thunder and lighting. A proper sendoff. A storm for the ages. “When will we get there?”

“Soon.” Ronan answered. The road beneath his wheels promised him that, too.

He felt the warmth of Adam’s hand before the rough skin of his palm; it felt like Heaven. Usually, Ronan was the one guiding Adam’s hands over the gears as he taught him to drive stick but tonight, the roles were reversed and there was nothing more comforting than that. Soon enough, they were turning off the highway, thunder cracking above them. The roads were quiet at this time of night; it was right after rush hour and everyone had settled into their houses for the night. As time went on, the houses grew more sparse, all of which played a scene to their own story. Empty country towns were always comforting to the intruder; Ronan had grown to appreciate that over time. When he roared down dirt roads and gravel, he was anonymous, unknown. He felt that way with Adam, sometimes; that his past didn’t matter, that he could just live in the moment and forget the rest of the world. No one had ever understood him better than Adam did.

Another clap of thunder coincided with the purr of the engine as they turned off the bitumen and onto the solid ground; there were a sprinkling of trees out in the distance now. Ronan knew there was a river nearby, too. Once upon a time, he might’ve gone camping with his family there. They didn’t end up getting too far. “Stop here.” Adam said, removing his hand from Ronan’s and grasping the door handle.

They were in the centre of the expansive land; playing the part of the perfect victim for lighting. Ronan wasn’t one to argue, though. He came to a stop and watched the way Adam ran out into the rain without a care in the world. It was beautiful in more ways than one. So much had happened since they first met; so much tragedy and death. Both of them had been born out of sorrow but somehow, they managed to find happiness amongst it. There were still scars, both physical and emotional, but with each passing day, they were leaving that world behind.

Ronan followed suit, as he always did. He’d follow Adam to the ends of the earth if he could; he’d follow him anywhere as long as he got to see that carefree smile on his face and that sparkle in his eyes. Outside, the wind was even louder and the rain was pouring so hard he could barely see his boyfriend; if it weren’t for the headlights, he wouldn’t have seen him at all. There was another lighting flash. Briefly, the entire world lit up. There weren’t enough words in the dictionary to describe how happy Ronan was. Gently, he took Adam’s hand before pressing a kiss to his mouth, each second that passed telling him just how much he loved him. In that moment, they were in their own world; far away from the troubles of distance and schoolwork.

When they parted, Adam was grinning in a way he hadn’t seen before. “Let’s lay down here!” He had to yell in order to be heard.

It was hard and muddy and both of them were thoroughly soaked but it was the most natural thing in the world. Adam was pressed against his side; he was so _warm, _almost like the pouring rain had brought him to life in a way he hadn’t previously been. Ronan was more than happy to keep him close with an arm wrapped around his shoulders. There wasn’t much to look at; rain kept getting in his eyes and it was too heavy to discern the clouds above but those few seconds were lightning would grace the skies above were worth it.

“I’m coming with you.” Ronan wasn’t sure if the words actually left his mouth or if he just thought them too loud, “I’m not leaving you again.”

Adam adjusted himself slightly so he was looking directly at him; there was a question in his eyes, one that asked _‘are you sure?’._

Ronan simply held his gaze, and that was answer enough.

————

By the time they got back to the BMW, both of them were freezing. The rain had let up; they must’ve been out there for hours because the blinking lights on the dashboard told him it was 10pm. Once Ronan was in the car, he took off his shirt and started shucking his jeans off, too. No way was he getting hypothermia because of some measly water. Adam, however, seemed content to stay soaked in his clothes. “Survival one-oh-one, take off your clothes, Parrish.”

Adam leaned back against the headrest, sighing deeply, before complying with the request. The heater was already on, blasting at the highest setting, but it wasn’t enough. Climbing over the armrest and into the backseat, Ronan began looking around in the boot for his blanket. Once he found it, he threw it in Adam’s general direction, successful landing it on his head. There was a surprised noise and the bird that followed.

“Wrap it around yourself.” Ronan told him, “You’re gonna freeze to death.”

“And you’re not?”

“Nah man.” he answered easily, “My viking genes are gonna keep me safe.”

Adam simply gave him an unimpressed look which was mostly for show than anything else. “Can’t I just join you back there?”

The offer was tantalising. “Your choice.”

It seemed that his choice was pushing the backseats down and climbing into the boot of the car with him. They were both too cold for anything other than cuddling but it was more than enough for Ronan. The blanket was far too small for the both of them, so he let Adam hog it (and the pillow, too). There were no stars to look at, only the interior of the BMW and a coffee stain that had managed to find its home on the roof.

“Did you mean what you said?” Adam eventually asked, turning his head to look at him.

“I did.” Ronan took his hand, again, “I’m coming with you this time.”

“You can’t stay with me.”

“I know. I’ll find a place.” An unspoken ‘_and hopefully you’ll stay with me in the end’ _was tacked on the end.

“And if we don’t last the distance —”

“_Adam_.”

“I mean it.”

“I know, but I mean it too.”

Life was full of uncertainties; both of them knew that too well. But with every uncertainty was a resolution — no question remained unanswered forever. Ronan wanted to tell him, _‘even if we don’t make it, I don’t want to have any regrets’, _wanted him to know just how fucking much he meant to him. There was no distance too great, no hurdle not worth jumping if it meant he got a chance with Adam Parrish.

Somehow, the message seemed to get across because the silence that they shared was one of understanding. Adam closed the distance between them and lightly kissed him.

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

**Author's Note:**

> title from chasing cars by snow patrol (lol)
> 
> If you notice any grammatical/spelling errors please let me know! 
> 
> TRC Tumblr: armenianronanlynch  
Tumblr: mcrmutual  
Twitter: FUKUTOMIJUICHl


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